Journal box



March 19, 1929. L, BRADFORD JOURNAL BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 18. 1922 March 19, 1929. BRADFORD 1,706,103

JOURNAL BOX Filed March 18, 1922 ZSheets-Sheet 2 i EL v I f wmq m g 1 r I A Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

EDWIN L. BRADFORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE' ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SYMING-TGN COMPANY, A CORPGRATIL'ON ()F MARYLAND.

JOURNAL BOX.

Application filed. March 18, 1922.

The invention relates to journal boxes for railway cars and more particularly to mechanism associated therewith for maintaining the journal box packing in proper position with reference to the car axle and journal bearing. 7

To this end, the principal object of my invention, generally considered, consists in providing a simple, strong and reliable device adapted to be applied to standard journal boxes now in use for properly positioning the journal box packing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box packing retainer movable with thejournal box lid to operative or inoperative position, said retainer being adapted to have its engaging end moved 1n an arcuate path whose major axis is arranged at an angle to the axis of the journal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing retainer having a portion adapted to engage the journal hearing or parts associated therewith when in operative position but movable away from and out of alinement with said bearing in the extreme open position of the journal box lid.

These and other objects are obtained by the novel features of my device, as will be hereinafter pointed out in connection with the illustrations thereof in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a portion of a journal box and associated lid showing one position of the journal box retainer.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the journal box retainer in the position assumed when the journal box lid is partially open.

Figure 3 is a view partially in front. elovation and partially in vertical section illustrating the retainer in the position shown in Figure 1.

Throughout the specification and drawings like parts are designated by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates a journal box of standard form provided with the usual pivot ears or lugs 2 to which, by means of a pintle 3, is hingedly connected the journal box lid 4. Said lid is preferably provided with a spring retaining mechanism 5 which may be of the type illustrated Serial No. 544,883.

the drawings and known as the Symington torsion spring. In this type of mechanism the free ends of the spring 6 are retained inv assembled position. with the lid by means of clips or tongues 7. -The upper end of the spring is preferably provided with a bearing plate 8 and is normally adapted to bear against the forward face of the ears 2 in order to maintain the lid in closed posi tion. This bearing plate 8, when the lid is open, rides over and is adapted to rest in either of a plurality of positions on top of the ears 2 in order to maintain the lid in half open or full open position. Since the particular form of spring mechanism forms no part of my invention further description of the same is unnecessary.

Pivotally connected at a suitable point on the interior face of the lid, preferably by means of a bolt or rivet 9, is the portion 10 of the journal box packing retaining memher. This portion 10 comprises a shoe 11 preferably conforming somewhat to the configuration of the journal box bottom and provided with a pair of upwardly extending arms 12, which, adjacent their upper ends, are outwardly flared, as at 18, and are adapted to pivotally engage the bolt or rivet 9. Pivotally connected to the arms 12 in a convenient manner is a member 14L which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is in the form of an inverted Y, each arm of the Y, as stated, being pivotally connected to the adjacent farm 12 intermediate the ends of the arms 15 of the Y. At the lower extremity of each arm 15, I provide the same with a lug 16-which is adapted to. engage the edge of the adjacent arm 12, during the opening movement of the ournal box lid, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Surrounding the rivet or bolt 9 is a torsion spring 17, the free ends of which are adapted to bear against the face of the journal box lid, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The loop portion 18 of the said spring is adapted to bear against an abutment member formed on or connected to the arms 15 of the Y. The normal action of the said spring 17 is to force the member 10 in a counterclockwise direction. At its upper end the base of the Y member 1 1 is provided with an extended bearing 19 and is adapted, in the closed or partially ooen position of the lid, to engage the outer of john nal bearing or wedge block 20. The journal box packing retainer. and the member List, by

reason of their pivotal connection intermediate their ends, arearranged to move as a The stem of the Y member 14 is adapted normally, to engage, when the lid is in full open position, against the upper edge or root of the journal box. The spring 17 forces the members 14 and into the position shown in Figure 2, that is rotates the members 14 and 10 until the lugs 16 engage the arms 12 and prevent further movement of the parts, as will be clearly understood from the drawings. Upon a downward movement of the lid the bearing portion 19 of the Y member lt will be forced against the outer face of the journal hearing or wedge 20 whereupon the continued inward movement of the lid will cause the shoe ll of the member 10 to move into the opening of the journal box and to follow an arcuate path until the lid is finally closed and the packing retainer occupies a position in front of and just below the lower edge of the car axle. This arc-uate or sweeping motion of the shoe 11 tends to compress the journal box packing and force the same under and into contact with the car axle and assures proper feeding of oil thereto.

The device is extremely simple in construction, involves but four parts, is simple to connect to a journal box lid, and is adapted to be applied to any type of journal box without modification of the interior thereof.

Having now described my invention, al though it is to be understood that the description is to be considered as illustrative only, what I claim is 1. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of

a retainer member adapted to engage the journal box packing when the lid is in closed position, and means connected to said member and engaging the journal bearing-for moving said retainer to operative position.

2. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a retainer member adapted to engage the journal box packing, means for pivotally connecting said retainer to said lid, and separate means connected to said retainer and engaging a member adjacent the "upper portion of said journal box for moving said retainer to operative position upon a closing movement of said lid.

The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a journal box packing retainer pivotally connected to said lid, means for moving said retainer to an inoperative position, and means spaced tron said lid and movable therewith and adapted to engage a removable member within said journal box for moving said retainer into operative position upon a closing movement of said lid.

4. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a journal box packing retaining member movably connected to said lid, and means pivotally connected to said retainer and movable therewith for moving said retainer in an arcuate path upon the movement of said lid to closed position.

5. The combination with a journal box having a lid, of means connecting said lid to the ournal box, a journal box packing retaining member, means connecting said retaining member to the lid, means including an arm connected to said retaining member, said arm having a portion adapted to engage the journal box for controlling the movement of said retaining member, and means operable between said arm and the retaining member for moving the latter to inoperative position upon the release of the lid from closed position.

6. The combination with a journal box having a lid, of means connecting said lid to the journal box, a retaining member adapted to contact the journal box packing, means connecting the retaining member to the lid, means having a portion connected to i the retaining member to move the latter in an arcuate path, said last named means having another portion operable against a member contained within the journal box, and spring means for moving the retaining member into inoperative position upon the release of the lid from closed position.

7. The combination with a journal box having a lid, of means connecting said lid to the journal box, a waste retainer comprising a pair of pivoted members, means carried by the lid adapted to cause portions of said members to move toward each other upon. movement o-t'the lid to open position, and means co-acting with one of said members for causing said portions of said members to move in the opposite direction upon movement of the lid to closed position.

8. The combination with a journal box having a lid, of means connecting said lid to the journal box, a waste retainer comprising pivotally united members, one of said members being pivotally connected to the lid, and means cooperating with the other of said members for moving said first named member in an arcuate path upon either opening or closing movement oi the lid.

9. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a waste retainer comprising pivotally united members, one of said members being connected to the lid and the other of said members being operable against the first named member between its point of connection with said lid and the pivot uniting the members, and means for moving said second named member upon movement of the lid to open position.

10. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a Waste retainer, and means including a toggle for moving said retainer into inoperative position "upon movement of the lid to 10 open position.

11. The combination with a journal box having a lid pivotally connected thereto, of a Waste retainer, means for moving said retainer into operative position upon movement of the lid to closed position and into inoperative position upon movement of the lid to open position, said means including a toggle adapted to project the'retainer Wholly Without the interior of the 'ournal box.

In testimony whereof I a X my signature.

EDWIN L. BRADFORD. 

